Managing Access to Patient Care.html
Managing Access to Patient Care
The conceptual and practical role of the patient has evolved over time due to environmental factors such as economics, technology, and sociopolitical pressures. The autonomy of the patient has eroded in the sense that patients are directed to access care rather than having the choice to access the desired health services. Today, physician selection is defined by plan participation, medical services and testing are directed by care protocols, and access to specialty care is regulated by a referral process or precertification.
It is important to understand that research pertaining to patient-physician relationships has proven paramount in the ability to achieve positive health outcomes. The understanding of the process of acceptance, concordance, and adherence is fundamental to a new patient-centered care paradigm defining a new-era of patient-physician relationship.
In today’s healthcare environment, the new-era patient is far more dynamic fueled by telehealth and telemedicine. The patient is far more knowledgeable and understanding of health issues. Conversely, the patient’s ability to decipher factual, credible information from rhetoric and marketing hyperbole might be challenging and potentially disruptive to the patient-physician relationship.
Managing Healthcare Organizations
The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics, reports that “Employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2012 as the health services industry continues to expand and diversify” (2014).
Nevertheless, there is a nationwide concern about the ability of the healthcare leadership to efficiently manage and expand the US healthcare system.
Middle management plays a key role in healthcare organizations. How can middle management help to both improve organizational efficiency and benefit the healthcare industry as a whole?
So far in this unit you have learned about managing access to care, a most important function of the healthcare manager. Next you will lean about managed care companies. Reflect on your experience and how managed care has impacted healthcare. Review the following resources to add to your know edge of the managed care business approach. Review the following resources for a deeper understanding of this material.
Resources:
Berenson, R. A., Sunshine, J. H., Helms, D., & Lawton, E. (2015). Why medicare advantage plans pay hospitals traditional medicare prices. Health Affairs, 34(8), 1289-1295. doi:londonessays.com
Afendulis CC, Landrum MB, Chernew ME. The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Medicare Advantage Plan Availability and Enrollment. Health services research. 2012;47(6):2339-2352. doi:10.1111/j.1475-6773.2012.01426.x.
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